Page 20 of Monster Married
“Fennie?” I repeated and attempted to put the stress on the second syllable like he had. “Hilarious. Like fanny. So funny. Thanks for that mental image.”
Vergis gave me a flat look. “You forget I walked in on you and your mate. I also saw you drenched in monster guts, so don’t go complaining about mental images to me.”
Inkiri clicked. “Let’s not bring up any innards at all tonight. Also, Vergis, you hardly walked in on us since we were not really doing anything but sleeping. Few enjoy pleasure play with a sleeping partner.” Inkiri’s hand wandered to my butt and he gave my left cheek a possessive squeeze, which made me jump. “It’s no a secret that my mate likes to scream when I please him. I don’t think he’d be able to sleep through the pleasure.”
“Wait, what? Am I…really that loud?”
My cheeks heated, both because of what he was saying and the way he continued to cup my ass. Although, that wasn’t all that bad. Maybe I liked wandering hands—his in particular. All over me. As a prelude to him ravishing me. Ravishing was clearly in order, although maybe not right this second with me having this fanny to drink. We were married, though, and that wasn’t official without the ravishing. It was even obligatory.
“In pleasure, silence can rarely be found.” Fellisse raised his tankard. “May your bedroom never be silent, Rory and Inki.”
“And may it never be lonely!” Nokim added.
“Nor boring,” said Lissir.
“Nor cold.” Vergis looked right at me, and he was smiling. Well, what passed for a smile with Vergis. It was more a quirking of his lips and me wondering when he’d next threaten to stab me. But I’d take it.
We clinked our fannies together after that unnecessarily explicit toast, and boy, when monsters brewed alcoholic beverages, they made them strong. I was coughing my lungs out after just one sip.
Fellisse’s laughter boomed. “Rory, you sound twice your size when you take your mate, but when you take a drink, you wheeze like a babe!”
Everyone laughed. I’d have told Fellisse I wasn’t made for drinking like a monster, but the stuff was still burning in my throat and making my eyes water.
I didn’t mind any of that though. Today was the best day I’d had in too long. Ever. I had my mate next to me, gently petting my back and finishing most of my drink as the evening went on, and we were surrounded by friends. This was perfect.
Chapter 7
The festival was getting louder and busier by the time we were done with our latest round, and I was pretty much glued to Inkiri’s side. There were so many people, so many unfamiliar sounds and smells. People carried lanterns around, the young bagua still played their fire fetching game, and I saw some older bagua spinning a rough rope, the end of which had been lit and was still glowing embers.
Bagua of all ages jogged past us. The lanterns were omnipresent, even if not everyone had one. People were eating, drinking, chatting, shouting, and laughing everywhere you looked. It was quickly getting to the point of really stressing me out, no matter that our small group was a solid shield.
Hove had managed to find us too. He’d finished his work and was now making his way through an English conversation about magic with Vergis.
“You magic learn in Earth?” Hove asked. I had the feeling that was somewhat established, but maybe Hove needed the practice.
“Yeah. It’s pretty much the same though, wherever you learn it,” Vergis said.
Hove nodded. “But no Koa Esher.” He made a face that told me exactly what he thought of the cola ash people. I very much agreed.
Vergis sipped his fanny. “We saw the Koa Esher.” He indicated me. “We were traveling with Inkiri’s new mate, and the Koa Esher attacked us.” Vergis spoke slowly, which was kind of nice.
Hove nodded. “I knew.” He nodded at Inkiri. “They told report. But I mean…when you were…” He raised his hand to show he meant when Vergis was little. Was Vergis ever little? Huh. You’d think he’d emerged fully formed and fully grumpy from some romantasy-tastic fairy tale to glower and show people his knife collection.
“When I was a kid. Yeah, there were no Koa Esher then, just lots of humans. Humans can be bad too.”
I inhaled sharply, which got me both their attention. Before I could speak, I remembered that cult. “Uh, I, erm… You know, yeah.” I raised my fanny. “It’s all the patriarchy, of course. It makes people really, really bad.” I was trying to use simple words for Hove’s sake, but also maybe I was feeling the alcohol just a little bit. The people around us too. “Especially since the apocalypse, people have been really bad.”
“Apocalypse?” Hove cocked his head.
“Lagasar,” Vergis said. He looked at me as if he was reassessing me and where I fell on the spectrum of despicable humans.
“Apocalypse,” Hove mumbled, testing the word on his tongue.
“I’m really surprised you all speak human,” I told him. “Or English, that is.”
Hove looked pleased. “I speak not. I learn.” He gestured, fishing for words. “Since lagasar, more learn. Lagasar opens Earth, and when open, we go and speak.” He looked at me, clearly trying to figure out whether I got what he was trying to say. “You say people bad?”
I nodded. “Well, some. Like, you know, something bad happens, and the crazies really come out?”
